Virginia This Morning marks 20th anniversary with a live celebration honoring its history and community

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia This Morning (VTM) celebrated its 20th anniversary with a live show featuring familiar faces and a few surprises.

Guests included renowned musician Johnny Lee Long; Michelle Stepney of Michelle’s Cakery Bakery; Katie Santoro of Cork & Courier and Mary Rapoport of the Virginia Egg Council.

Chef “Big Herm” Baskerville made his 100th appearance on VTM by preparing parmesan lemon salmon on the backyard grill and delivering sparkling cider for a toast. The team ended the show with confetti poppers and a custom cake created by Stepney.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to be part of the VTM team that inspires, informs and connects with viewers each weekday morning by showcasing the heart and soul of what Central Virginia has to offer,” said Torri Strickland, executive producer of VTM. “Cheers to 20 years!”

The local talk and entertainment show debuted on October 2, 2006 with Bill Bevins and Cheryl Miller as hosts. Over the years, multiple hosts followed, including Greg McQuade, Julie Bragg and Jessica Noll. Amy Lacey joined VTM as a host in 2024.

“Celebrating 20 years is an incredible milestone, but what makes this anniversary truly special is VTM’s lasting impact,” said Lacey, who is also the director of local programming at WTVR CBS 6. “For two decades, it has brought people together in our studio, celebrated their achievements and created connections that continue. We’re honored to provide a platform for the movers, shakers and change makers helping to shape the future of our community.”

Noll, who created VTM in 2006, shared the inspiration for the show during a segment with Bevins that aired leading up to the 20th anniversary.

“The idea what was old was new again, there was this conversation we were having about doing a news magazine,” Noll, a current sales account executive at CBS 6, remembered. “There’s so much positive energy and positive things happening in our community, and we wanted the opportunity at WTVR to showcase that.”

In separate 20th anniversary interviews with Bevins, Miller, McQuade and Bragg also reflected on their time on VTM, which has now grown to include several contributors: Andrias White Murdaugh, Kristen Luehrs, Evanne Armour, Courtney Dean and Heather Marie Van Cleave.

In recent years, the show has expanded its reach digitally, highlighting photos viewers submit online in a regular segment called Everywhere You Are. A weekly Question of the Week on social media engages viewers about topics from favorite books to restaurant recommendations and day trips.

“We call this our work, but there is no ‘work’ about this,” Bevins said in the days before the anniversary. “There are so many incredible people doing incredible things in Central Virginia, and we get to talk to them each day and share their stories with the community. I’d say that is a privilege.”

(Click the video above to watch the full 20th anniversary episode of Virginia This Morning.)